For better and for worse
by Linneagb
Summary: What finally happened with Homer, the dog left behind as the lost boys. And to Ernie, the boy who survived more than fifty years ago since their orphanage burned down. Oneshot.


**I've been watching a whole lot of the series on DVD lately re-watching my favorite episodes... some even more than once. And one part that just breaks my heart is Homer the dog being left behind when the lost boys crossed over. And then a while into season two he just disappeared and was never spoken about again. **

**I had this idea... then looked it up and realized that it was another guy who had passed away from natural causes. Not the one playing Tobias Northrop like I thought, who's still alive. Anyway, I decided to still go on with this. **

**One thing I guess people might have forgotten about is that during a few episodes Delia had a dog named Bob. **

This was sometimes the worst part with everything that I did...

The part when I couldn't make anyone ccross over even though I knew they needed to.

Still I had never quite been through a pet being left behind when their owner crossed over. Like Rat and the other lost boys had crossed over without Homer...

Just like any other day when Jim started his shift early and Delia opened the store I did everything quite slowly- getting up, taking a long shower and then making breakfast wearing a new, now clean pyjamas...

And just like any other day for the moment Homer stood by my feet and happily wagged his tail. At first I had liked this and I wouldn't mind having a real, alive pet but with only me being able to even see or hear him and not knowing what I should do...

"How am I going to get you to cross over?"

Homer barked happily- obviously not knowing about what had happened to him...

"Don't you want to be with Rat and the others?" I asked as if he would get what I was saying. "I can't even give you pieces of bread or anything like your friend Bob gets from Ned when Delia isn't watching..."

Homer just moaned slightly and raised an eyebrow as if he was wondering what on earth I was on about...

"I know." I went into the living room and sat down on the couch, Homer followed in my footsteps, got up next to me and laid his head down with a deep sigh. "I feel so bad that I made those boys leave into the light without you."

"Theres a good thing that there's one of those boys left then."

Just as I heard the voice, first behind me I felt a spirit. Someone kind, someone calm and to peace with passing away.

It took me a second to figure. Then I remembered the orphanage and the boys and the old man in front of me.

"Mr. Northrop..."

"Please..." Homer blinked, then he was by his old master's head and barked happily while spinning around. "Just call me Ernie. You're the one who figured who I was anyway. Calm down now Homer... We need to have a talk the last thing I do." He walked over to the chair and sat down. "Huh? I guess you do see ghosts."

"Didn't you already know that… Ernie?" I had to ask him. "When I helped you talk to your friends?"

Ernie smiled sadly, then nodded.

"I guess it takes something like this to believe it. Now it's time to move on… After all I'm grateful for having the long life I've gotten… so many of my friends didn't get the chance… but I lived most my life living under a fake name and blaming myself for that fire… It was an accident. But I didn't accept it until I met you… and you know the rest."

Why oh why was I such a crybaby? I couldn't help but to feel tears burn in my eyes realizing that Ernest Sutter had come to this point.

"Don't you cry for me. I've lived a long life. And the ending was made a whole lot better than it would have been if I'd never met you… I became an old man and then I just passed away in my sleep. I fell asleep tonight and suddenly I was standing by my own bed watching myself."

And that was how it could be done as peacefully as possible.

"I meet so many young people, broken people who breaks my heart and that I have to help. Is there something I can help you with? Someone I need to talk to? Maybe let someone know you've passed away so…"

"So I don't become one of them who lies dead for weeks or months or even years before anyone notices they're gone. I might be alone Mrs. Gordon but I'm not that alone…. If I think right then I'm thinking the landlord and neighbors will notice I haven't come out of my flat… this weekend or so… you don't need to worry about that… I have no family and very few friends. All of them are going to find out in their own time. It won't come as a surprise…"

Most people like these would be crossing over rigtht away.

"Is there something I can help you with?" Ernie hesitated. "Do you see a light?"

"Yes..." He said without another second of hesitation. I would have crossed it right away but I just had the feeling that... there's something I have to do before I go. And that feeling brought me here... so what do you say Homer? Is it time for us to go?"

I could feel tears still rising in my eyes. Seeing that old man and the dog that had finally found his boy- finally together after all these years.

Ernie got up from the arm chair and I saw the look on his face that it was time for him to go, Homer barked happily and more jumped than walked after...

"Rat?" Ernie suddenly whispered. "Vic? Marty?"

Suddenly the old man disappeared and made room for the young boy from the burned down orphanage...

"Can you see a light?"

Ernie looked at me then nodded with a smile and turned back to where he saw his light...

"You should go into it."

Without looking towards me Ernie nodded and then down to the happy dog who couldn't still for one second...

"Come on Homer." The boy patted his leg, but he wouldn't have needed to for Homer to follow him. "It's time..." One last time the boy looked at me. "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

I couldn't help but whisper, my voice wouldn't have lasted to speak up properly...

This part would always weigh up for the problems my gifts would cause.

The best part was and would always be seeing one last smile on the person's faces, one last sparkle in their eyes and the feeling of their peace as they took their last few steps and faded away.

**Random fact **

It isn't very long ago I saw in the paper or on Facebook or wherever that someone's corpse had been lying for like three years before someone knew the person was dead... It's so sad when that happens. I live with dust and a few stuffed animals. But if I didn't come out at all at least my parents would notice quite right away.

I hope no one finds how I wrote about it dishonoring. I didn't mean to do that obviously...

I hope you liked that explenation of how Homer finally left...


End file.
